you alright?
are you in the a.b.e. class?
this is it.
time's a wastin'.
you in or you out? this door closes in thirty seconds.
have a seat.
does everyone have her notebook?
it's 9:07. jo ann you're late.
starting tomorrow, this door will be locked at 9:00.
class, today we have some new people so let's just.
i beg your pardon jo ann!
mind your mouth in here jo ann.
just watch the language.
since we have more new people than old people today, let's just go back to square one and get to know each other. state your name, where you were born, your favorite color, something you do well and why you're here.
i'll start. my name is blu rain .
that's my for real, hope to die if i'm lying name.
yes it is. my favorite color is purple.
what do i do well? i sing pretty well. and i'm here because a good friend used to teach at this school. she was out one day and asked me to substitute for her. when she quit, they asked me if i wanted the job. i said yes and i've been here ever since. rhonda?
well. what do you do well jo ann?
when it's your turn jo ann. consuelo?
it's just a way of breaking the ice -a way of getting to know each other better.
you don't have to do it if you don't want to but you do have to watch your language.
you don't want to do what, participate or watch your language?
claireece?
claireece?
certainly. jo ann?
well, that's everyone. welcome to.
okay claireece.
something you do well?
everybody is good at something.
one thing?
and?
how does it make you feel?
the longest journey begins with a single step.
we're all in this together rita. class?
this is just the beginning. why don't we try by ourselves? there are 26 letters in the alphabet. they all have a sound. these letters make up all the words in our language. please open your notebooks, write the date and then let's write the alphabet.
this is going to be painless .
i just want you to read a page from this book.
precious?
c'mon precious. give it a try.
precious. honey are you okay? try to relax. should i call an ambulance? 911? your moth .
what is it?
the words or the pictures?
i think i understand you precious but i still want you to try. you're going to have to push yourself.
what do you think the story is about?
that's right.
do you know what that is?
do you know that word?
do you know the letters.
do you know that word?
day. that word is day.
what's that word?
good! almost! the word is 'at'.
'shore'. that word is 'shore'. that's almost like 'beach'. very good. can you read the whole thing?
dear precious, i am glad you love your baby.
i think a beautiful young girl like you should have a chance to get an education. i think your first responsibility has to be to yourself. you should not drop out of school .
come back to class. we miss you. love, ms rain.
dear precious, it seems the opposite to me. if you keep abdul you might have nothing. you are learning to read and write, that is everything. come back to school when you get out of the hospital. you're only seventeen. your whole life is in front of you.
dear precious, you are not a dog. you are a wonderful young woman who is trying to make something of her life. i have some questions for you. 1. where was your grandmother when your father was abusing you? 2. where is little mongo now? 3. what is going to be the best thing for you in this situation?
dear dear precious, being a good mother might mean letting your baby be raised by someone who is better able than you to meet the child's needs.
dear precious, when you are raising a small infant you need help. who is going to help you? how will you support yourself? how will you keep learning to read and write?
dear precious miss, when you get home from the hospital, look and see how much welfare has helped your mother.
you could go further than your mother. you could get your g.e.d. and go to college. you could do anything precious but you have to believe it. love, blu rain.
yes i'll hold. safety net huh? what damn safety net?! a newborn child! a new born! in this fucking day and.
excuse my language precious.
good morning girls. tell the others to start writing when they come in. whichever one of you is older is in charge until i get back. and consuelo, i know that is not you. so here is $20.00.
go get something for precious to wear. quick! and bring me back my change.
well why didn't you tell me that before!!! i'm sitting here half the-
before this day is up, you will have a place to live precious.
yeah. queens . what do you think?
me either. you should stay in harlem. long as we can anyway.
i have this west indian friend whose boyfriend is a council member. we'll see what they can do.
i have the information on my desk. can you hold one second?
i think i may be onto something. come on precious.
yes brenda. thank you.
they can take you. tomorrow. at a place here in harlem.
you just need somewhere to stay tonight. you don't snore do you?
precious, this is my wife katherine.
i said that this is my wife katherine.
yes precious. very much.
i just think you should finish the book.
nobody if you don't write it. precious writes everyday. you should try it.
katherine was just drawing a comparison so that her point could be more easily understood.
you okay precious?
precious, i thought you went home.
you're welcome. it was my pleasure.
was there something else?
are you sure?
yes?
mm hm.
everybody has those precious.
it only looks that way. yes, i talk to people all the time for support.
what on earth are you talking about?
what?!
you just what?!
precious?!
you've helped me already.
last night i had a conversation with my mother, and that never happens cause our relationship is.  complicated. we don't speak, and when we do, it always ends in a fight about my filthy misguided existence. most times i feel terrible for days afterwards wondering whether all the hateful things she said are true. those days i just feel like. like.
yeah. i didn't feel so bad this time though. cause this time i thought about how strong you've had to be and then i decided that i had nothing to be ashamed of and that my mother was wrong about me, my dad and 5 or 6 hundred other things. you ask if you can help me? baby, you already have.
that's the for real, hope to die if i'm lying truth. now shouldn't you be out the door?
suit yourself.
rita, what do i mean when the author describes her protagonist's circumstances as "unrelenting"?
c'mon rita, think about the question before you just give up like that.
precious?
precious?
precious, bring your journal to me.
precious, would you come to my office for a moment?
preci-
one time in your journal you told me that you had never really told your story. write.
i think telling your story will get you over that river precious .
open your notebook precious.
i know you are but you can't stop now. you gotta fight through this. you still have to live your life and do the best you can with the hand you've been dealt. if not for yourself then for the people who love you.
people do love you precious.
that wasn't love. there are people in this room who love you. your child loves you too. is that clear precious? now if rita decided to just give up? would you let her?
would you?!
and why not?!
because you love her. as much as she loves you.
now the rest of the world can judge you, cheat you, beat you, dismiss you and abandon you all it wants but we won't let you give up and that's the only thing that matters. some people have less than that on their side and still manage to keep going. it's up to you.
time is up. does anyone want to share?
okay precious.
sit up straight jermaine and watch your language. both of you. please.
now i see your points, but is stealing.
you read the whole thing by yourself?
no! so stop worrying about it. we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. trust me -no, trust yourself. my concern now is that if this ms. weiss is someone you're working with and can't trust, she's out! we gotta find somebody else.
precious, have you ever had your hearing tested?
	105:
sheila hewitt, ms. rubenstein is ready for you.
clareece precious jones! mrs. weiss is ready for you.